Hot Chocolate
by emjem18
Summary: Alex quickly figured out that hot chocolate and marshmallows always helped Kara after her nightmares.


**I hope everyone had a Happy New Year! I watched too much of Making a Murderer on Netflix today and needed to write something fluffy to clear my head. :o**

"I'll have to check with Alex. Jeremiah is working late tonight."

Alex paused her I-Pod and dog-eared the current page of her book, sitting up straight when she heard her mother's footsteps in the hallway. She wanted something. Eliza rarely went out since Kara arrived because she was convinced the young girl would not be able to survive without her. Alex found it amusing but a bit frustrating since Kara was not five.

Eliza knocked lightly on the bedroom door and popped her head in. "Honey?"

"Mom?" Alex teased, taking her ear buds out and gently placing the I-pod on her nightstand. It was a gift she got for her fifteenth birthday two days ago. Kara woke her up and excitedly presented her with an awkwardly wrapped present covered in snowflake paper, clearly leftover from the holidays. "What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want something?" Eliza questioned, daintily sitting herself on the edge of the bed. She glanced at the clock and frowned when it was a little after nine. Kara had been sound asleep for close to an hour now. She was still trying to adjust and the Danvers found it easiest to get her to sleep before the sun went down so the dark would not hinder any chance for sleep. "What are you up to for the rest of the night?"

Alex grabbed the latest book in her favorite science fiction series and held it up for her mother to see. "Reading."

"Jane called," Eliza began hopefully. "And since dad is working late I figured I could maybe sneak out for a few drinks."

"Okay."

Eliza rubbed her palms against her jeans. "Would you mind? Staying with Kara? Just in case something happens."

"Sure," Alex shrugged. "Nothing's going to happen, mom. She's already asleep."

"I know, I know," Eliza whispered, reaching out to rub her daughter's shoulder in thanks. "I'm just worried she's going to wake up with another nightmare. And she's only been here for a few weeks. I don't want her to think I'm abandoning her."

"She can survive without your helicopter parenting for a few hours," Alex said, making sure to smile wide when her mother glared at her. "We'll be fine."

"Are you sure, sweetie? I can tell Jane no. She'll understand."

"Mom!" Alex cut in, sitting up straight in bed. "Go. Please. For my own sanity."

Eliza pursed her lips together in hesitation. "Do you know what to do if she wakes up?"

"Yes," Alex replied slowly, a hint of annoyance laced in her tone. "Mom, Kara's thirteen, remember? She's not five. She's not two. Thirteen."

"I know that," Eliza argued in her own defense. She got to her feet and stared down at Alex thankfully. "She's lost everything, Alex. She's fragile."

Alex tried not to roll her eyes. "I know, mom. But if we constantly treat her like a baby, how is she ever going to be able to move on?"

"Just humor me," Eliza pleaded. She leaned down and kissed Alex's forehead softly, gently brushing the dark hair out of her face. "Thank you, honey."

"It's fine, mom," Alex said genuinely. "What time will dad be home?"

"Who knows," Eliza frowned, the irritation at her husband evident. "I'll be home by eleven at the latest."

"Stay out as long as you want," Alex suggested with a shrug. "You deserve it, mom. Kara will be fine. I am her favorite Danvers after all."

Eliza chuckled. "That's because you'll never have to discipline her."

"We've bonded," Alex said with a bright smile. "I mean, it's not the same thing as getting a pet for my birthday like I wanted, but a little sister's cool."

Eliza and Jeremiah had been so grateful Alex's teenage rebellion seemed to disappear once Kara was brought to them. She was a natural born leader and now that she had someone to look after and guide, her previous attitude was gone and she spent more days hiding under the table with Kara when she got scared and teaching her the name of the stars. Alex wasn't used to sharing her world with someone. But it did not deter her from stepping up and making Kara feel like everything was going to be okay.

"Call me if you need me," Eliza warned one last time. She lingered in Alex's doorway and shot her daughter one last look of gratitude. "Thank you."

Alex flopped back on the bed with a sigh when she heard her mother's car _finally_ pull away a good ten minutes later. She was probably hovering over Kara's bedside to make sure she was still breathing. Alex felt for her sister, she really did. She was, however, thankful Eliza had someone else to smother and she could seemingly do whatever she wanted without being incessantly hounded.

She rolled on to her stomach and kept her music on low, just in case. It didn't take long for her to get lost in her book and the next thing Alex knew, it was almost eleven. For the past six nights, Kara had woken up screaming around eleven. It was like clockwork.

Alex rarely got the opportunity to check on her sister since Eliza was practically sleeping on the floor in Kara's bedroom every night. She was afraid to let anyone else deal with Kara's nightmares for fear she'd get overwhelmed. But Alex knew it was because Eliza wanted to revel in the fact someone _needed_ her. Alex was getting older and less reliant on her parents. She didn't have nightmares or wasn't afraid of thunder anymore like Kara was.

11:10.

There it was. Alex winced when Kara began shrieking, yelling out for her mother. That's all she wanted. Her dead mother. No one was going to be able to replace Alura and a part of Alex wondered if Kara understood that.

"Mom!"

Alex slipped off the bed and carefully tiptoed through the adjoined bathroom that connected her and Kara's room. She flipped the lamp on the bedside table on and gently sat on the edge of the bed. Kara was still fast asleep, thrashing around the small twin bed in clear distress.

"Kara?" Alex whispered. "Hey, Kara. It's okay."

Kara kept yelling. When she let out a strangled sob, Alex gently lifted the small girl in a sitting position and held her close. "Kara, you're dreaming. You're okay." Kara kept shaking in her arms, refusing to open her eyes. "It's Alex. Can you look at me?"

Alex wasn't sure how her mother went about things, but it seemed Kara immediately calmed down when she realized who was holding her.

"A-Alex?" Kara questioned softly.

"Yep."

"Where's my mom?" Kara asked with a slight cry. She closed her eyes when Alex lifted her slightly onto her lap and held her tight.

Alex couldn't tell if she meant Eliza or Alura. "Did you have a bad dream?" She didn't want to pry too much. Kara was not in the right state of mind to be assaulted with twenty different questions.

"I'm sorry," Kara squeaked. She snaked her arms around Alex's waist and buried her face in her sister's neck. "I keep, I keep seeing Krypton exploding…"

"You're safe," Alex promised as she held Kara even tight against her body. "Nothing like that is ever going to happen to you on earth, okay?"

Kara just nodded, shifting herself a bit so her legs were hanging over Alex's. It was right there Alex realized how _small_ Kara was. Sure, she was thirteen, but she was so tiny, barely reaching Alex's shoulder. They were less than two years apart but Alex looked eons more mature, in stature and appearance. Kara still had a young face, a face full of pain and turmoil. Her vulnerability was the worst at night and Alex couldn't even imagine what went though her sister's head when the lights went off and the sun went down.

"I'm sorry," Kara whispered in embarrassment, closing her eyes as she felt Alex's arm lazily sling across her lower abdomen to pat her thigh. "For waking you."

"You didn't," Alex promised, using her right hand to gently guide Kara's head to rest against her shoulder. She was a lot calmer than she was five minutes ago. "I was reading."

"Oh, your scary looking book again?"

Alex laughed. "It's not scary!" She gently dug her fingers into Kara's side and smiled when the younger girl shrieked in laughter. "Do you want some hot chocolate?"

"Yes!" Kara nodded frantically, sliding off Alex's lap and grabbing her arm. She pulled the taller girl up in one swift motion and nearly sent her flat on her face. Alex simply brushed it off and ruffled her hair. "Can we put lots of little clouds in them like the last time?"

"What?" Alex tilted her head to the side in confusion, squeezing Kara's hand when they entered the dark hallway.

"The clouds!" Kara repeated in exasperation, her heart rate returning to normal when Alex flicked on the hallway light and led her down the stairs.

"Oh! Marshmallows, you mean?"

Kara pouted. "I like calling them clouds better."

"Whatever you say," Alex chuckled. She reached for the teakettle and motioned for Kara to sit on the stool in front of the island. Once the water was on the stove, she sat next to her and drummed on the table lightly. "Mom went out for drinks with her friend Jane and dad's working late," she supplied when Kara looked around the kitchen.

"Oh," Kara whispered. She jumped a bit when the teakettle began to whistle melodically, breaking the silence in the room.

Alex slipped off the stool and shut the burner off. Kara watched in wonderment as her sister dutifully got out two mugs and poured the hot liquid in. "How many clouds do you want?"

"Five hundred," Kara said without missing a beat.

Alex stared at her sister oddly. "Uh, how about…as many as I can fit in the mug?"

"Fineeee."

Alex dumped a handful of marshmallows in the steaming hot chocolate and frowned when there was only four left for her. Kara eyes lit up as the mug was placed in front of her. "Careful!" Alex screamed. "It's hot!"

Kara took a big gulp and sighed in satisfaction, wiping her lips with the back of her sleeves and picking up a few stray marshmallows that fell on the counter "It's just right!"

"How do you do that?" Alex asked with a scowl, blowing on her hot chocolate so she could take a sip before Kara finished off her own.

"I'm an alien," Kara said, with a quirked eyebrow. " _Duh_ , Alex."

"You need to stop watching soap operas," Alex chuckled, taking a tiny sip of hot chocolate. It was still too hot for her liking; Kara was practically done with hers.

"Are soap operas based on real life? Do people really behave that way?"

Alex chuckled and shook her head. "No. It's all fake. Very, very fake. Just like reality TV."

"You mean Jerry Springer isn't real?" Kara asked, crestfallen.

"Why are you watching Jerry Springer?"

Kara shrugged and popped a chocolate soaked marshmallow in her mouth. "I find it very entertaining the way everyone just shouts and fights."

"Yeah, no more," Alex said sternly, reaching over to tap Kara's nose. "Mom would have a heart attack if she knew you watch Jerry Springer."

"Jeremiah let me. He told me to watch it if I ever have a problem feeling normal."

"I'm telling," Alex mumbled, stirring her drink with Kara's abandoned spoon. She shifted slightly on the stool and peered at her sister. "You sure you're okay?"

Kara bit her lip and fiddled with the handle on the mug. "Some days I am."

"You know we're always here for you, right?" Alex whispered, letting her hand rest on the middle of Kara's back. "I know I don't exactly understand what you're going through but you can talk to me. I'm your big sister now. It's like…my job to fix things and make sure you're okay."

"Thank you, Alex," Kara cut in quietly, smiling at the elder girl with watery eyes. She grabbed her empty mug and gently placed it in the sink, careful not to break it like the other ones. With a yawn, she shyly pulled on Alex's sleeve. "I'm tired. Will, will you tuck me back in bed like Eliza does? But not as tight…"

Alex laughed. "Sure." She slipped Kara's smaller hand into her own and guided her up the stairs. Kara lingered in the doorway and glanced around the room. "What?"

"Don't _laugh_ ," Kara began, her cheeks reddening as she looked down at her feet. "But can you check under the bed and in the closet? For monsters?"

It took everything for Alex not to laugh. They had watched _Monsters INC_ the other day and instead of finding it adorably amusing, it absolutely terrified Kara. She still was convinced animated monsters existed.

Alex looked under the bed and shook her head. "Nothing here except for some dirty socks." She pulled covers down and motioned for Kara to get in. "Do you need anything?"

Kara shook her head and gripped the covers tightly when Alex pulled them up to her chin. "Wait here," Alex said. "I have an idea."

The older girl quickly ran into the bathroom and flipped on the light, rummaging through the drawers for the old nightlight she had. It was in the shape of a teddy bear but maybe it would help Kara feel more at ease.

"What's that?" Kara asked when Alex returned.

"It's a night light," Alex explained, plugging the bear into the outlet closest to the door. "It will make it so it's not as dark in here." She shut off the light. "See?"

Kara smiled. "I like it."

Alex returned the smile and gently pulled the closet door open. "Also, this might be corny, but this is a Danvers family heirloom."

Kara squinted to see Alex holding a stuffed lion that had seen better days. "What on earth is that thing?"

"This is Lionel," Alex explained proudly, holding out the stuffed animal for Kara to take. "He was my mom's when she was a kid. He helped me with my nightmares. Maybe he'll help with yours, too." She shook him lightly in front of Kara's face and smiled when she giggled.

Kara took Lionel from her sister and examined him carefully. His fur was a bit matted and he was missing his left eye, but other than that, he was perfect. She didn't have stuffed animals on Krypton or any toys for that matter. It was a whole new discovery for her. "Thank you, Alex."

Alex watched Kara hug the stuffed animal tight to her chest. She fiddled with the covers one last time and leaned down to kiss Kara's head. "I'll leave my side of the bathroom door open if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay," Kara mumbled as her eyes fluttered shut. She tucked Lionel under her arm and sighed contently when Alex brushed the hair out of her face. "Night, Alex. Love you."

It was so faint that Alex wasn't so sure she heard right. It was the first time Kara had ever said it to her. She hadn't even said it to Eliza or Jeremiah yet! Alex smiled and leaned down to kiss Kara's forehead one last time. That just solidified _she_ was Kara's favorite Danvers.

"Love you too, Kara," Alex whispered. "Sleep tight."

 **I feel like this isn't the last of Lionel in my fics, heh. ;)**


End file.
